


The Road Goes Ever On - A Tale of Fellowship

by 1f_this_be_madness



Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate ending to The Fellowship of the Ring, Aragorn is kind, Aragorn is noble, Attempt at Humor, BAMF Legolas Greenleaf, Because there is a war going on in Middle Earth, But he adores them anyway, Canon - Book & Movie Combination, Deviates From Canon, Epic Friendship, Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf shows up and is annoyed by foolish hobbits, Gen, Gimli is grumpy, Gollum pisses practically everyone off, HARD Divergence, Hugs, Legolas gives piggyback rides to Mordor, Marshes are disgusting and terrible to walk through, Merry and Pippin are FRIENDS with Treebeard, POV Alternating, Protective Legolas Greenleaf, Protective Sam, Same with Gandalf, Shadowfax is a beautiful horse, Some Humor, War Boys Showing Affection, War of the Ring, What is with all this shipping? Smh, When I need backstory I go to the books, Wish Aragon could be the horse-girl here but no, as usual
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-06
Updated: 2019-03-06
Packaged: 2019-11-12 16:25:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18014288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1f_this_be_madness/pseuds/1f_this_be_madness
Summary: "It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered."... Also known as a tale where the remains of the Fellowship actually go to Mordor.Aragorn decides to follow Sam and Frodo across the Anduin; and of course Legolas and Gimli will not stand to be left behind.(Besides, there are plenty of orcs to slay on the way to the fiery chasm deep within Mount Doom...)





	1. All That Is Gold

Aragorn had not bargained for this. 

To have two of his comrades disappear into the forest after he had sworn to keep them safe and lead them well; including the one being he was not allowed to lose, the Ring-bearer. Thanks be to Elendil that he heard frantic footsteps and then saw Frodo scrambling away from a ruined wall.

"Stay away!" The Hobbit screamed.

"Frodo, I swore to protect you," Aragorn followed, spreading his hands low in an attempt to placate the obviously distraught young halfling as his boots crunched over gravel and grass. 

Frodo is not soothed. On the contrary he shoots back with blue eyes terrified, "Can you protect me from yourself?! Would _you_ destroy it?"

Aragorn grows still, eyes softening and filling with understanding. He comes close as Frodo now holds the ring, on its innocuous silver chain, in his open hand. He is frozen, fearful; and the last heir in the line of Isildur knows he has every reason to be. Even now, the Ring is whispering, calling out to him: 

_Aragorn... Elessar...._

__He swallows hard and kneels, pressing Frodo's hand closed as he vows, eyes and tone solid yet sorrowful: "I would have gone with you to the end, Frodo -into the very fires of Mordor."_ _

__"...I know."_ _

__"But you must run, Frodo! Go!" Aragorn stands as he hears it - the coming of Uruk-hai - and sees the bright blue glow of Sting where the blade hangs at the Hobbit's belt. "Go now!" He turns with his own sword at the ready. "And if it is within my power, I will follow you."_ _

***

Pippin's heart is pounding. This is no way to start off the afternoon - they hadn't even gotten to eat a real lunch! But here come some giant orcs that someone had called Uruk-hai, and he and Merry are crouching behind a log when they see Frodo behind a tree. 

"Frodo! Come hide with us!" Merry hisses.

"Yes! Come on!" Pippin squeaks. Thank goodness he was here; they had gotten parceled off to the woods when Sam said Frodo was gone, he'd run off with Boromir after him... But something isn't right; Frodo isn't moving. "What's he doing, Merry?" 

Merry's face grows intent as he sees the panic and sorrow, but resolve in Frodo's eyes. "He's going to run, Pip," he says. 

The Took shoots up. _"Whaat?!"_ he jumps out of hiding, because oh no, Frodo can't go without them - and then the pounding of heavy feet and loud grunts and shrieks. Merry jumps out and grabs him.

"Pippin - Pip, wait!" And a horde of Uruk-hai pours down the path through the trees. Merry's jaw clenches and he looks at Frodo and then screams "Hey! Hey you!" Pippin's eyes bulge and he stares in utterly stupefied shock at his cousin, but out of the corner of his eye, spots Frodo sneaking away.

"Yeah, you!" He joins in with Merry's yell, realizing what his cousin has done by distracting the Uruk-hai. He is helping Frodo get away to continue the quest. "Over here! This way!" They wave their arms and short swords, and then they run.

***

"The horn of Gondor!" Legolas cried, his blond hair flying behind him as he whirled. The elf's eyes widen as he catches the sonorous sound. Aragorn takes off running.

***

"...They took the little ones," the Gondor man's words come in sharp, painful gasps as Aragorn runs to and kneels down beside him.

"Shh, lie still."

***

"I made a promise, Mister Frodo. Gandalf said 'Don't you leave him, Samwise Gamgee.' And I don't mean to. I don't mean to."

"Oh, Sam...."

The hobbits clutch each other tight in a lingering embrace before sailing their boat across the Anduin River. 

***

"Frodo and Sam have reached the Eastern shore," Legolas gritted, pushing the second boat off of its place in the mud along the edge of the Anduin. 

Aragorn laces the dark leather of Boromir's gauntlets tight around his wrists. He and Gimli haul the son of Gondor's lifeless form into the third boat, lining his feet up against the stern and his head the bow. 

"Let us go," Legolas says as he hauls as much of their supplies into the boat as the three can carry.

Aragorn presses his fist to his forehead and then his lips before touching Boromir's face and he nods to Gimli, going to the right-hand side of the boat as the dwarf moves to the left. Both put all of their strength into pushing the boat into the river's current. Legolas leaps out of the other boat and assists them with his arms on the center.

Aragorn lifts his voice in lamentation as Boromir's boat is caught by the swift current, pulling the steadfast Gondor steward far and farther away.

"They will look for his coming from the White Tower, but he will not return. Be at peace, son of Gondor."

A lump lodged in his throat, the Ranger pulls himself into the boat that Legolas holds stationary for him and Gimli to follow Frodo and Sam.

***

"We must stay true to one another," Aragorn speaks emphatically as they quickly cross the river. "Frodo needs us. Take only what provisions you can carry," he adds as all exit the boat, Gimli nearly tipping it and falling face-first into the drink as he hauls his short stout bulk over the boatside. "We must travel light."

"...There is little enough light where we are going," Legolas says placidly as he grabs Gimli by the shoulders so he does not fall.

"A ray of sunshine, you are!" The dwarf glowers and pulls himself free from the elf's grasp as he opens a bag of provisions on the shore. "Does this mean no salt pork?" 

"We have no ways to salt pigs, Gimli. I am sorry. Not on this journey," Aragorn tells him, lifting one fist before his mouth to hide a smile.

"Lembas bread abounds and should suffice," Legolas offers. 

"Pah! All style, no substance that elfin bread is- nutrients of a meal with none o' the taste."

"Which you and Sam surely must commiserate over," Aragorn does show his smile now, hoisting a pack onto his back. "He once lectured me on the vital importance of salting one's potatoes."

Gimli half-chuckles as he and Legolas gather their things and the three begin to ascend into the rocky mountains of Emyn Muil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Peter Jackson's excellently-directed scenes in The Fellowship of the Ring speak to the incredible nature of battle and abilities of these characters, so I did not describe them in their entirety (between the second, third, fourth, and fifth trio of asterisks ***).
> 
> However, I will provide flashbacks later on in this piece for story reasons.


	2. Not Glitter But Wander in Shadows

"Mordor," Frodo breathes as he gazes down across the barren expanse of rocks and darkness in the distance. "...I hope the others find a better way." He speaks this fervently.

"Strider'll look after 'em," assures Sam. 

Frodo glances back warmly, grateful for his companion, brave and solid Samwise Gamgee. "I am glad that you at least are here with me, Sam."

"Urg - we're here too, laddie!" Loud crashing footsteps are heard behind, and huffing and puffing from the climb here comes Gimli. "Surely you never thought we'd leave ye to do this on your own!"

Frodo sucks in a breath, eyes widening, expression helpless. "I told Aragorn...," He begins.

"- And I promised to protect you, Frodo Baggins." Aragorn steps out of the trees to reach the summit as well. "I shall not go back on that vow while it is in my power."

"Nor I," Legolas adds gently, pale features solemn, seeming almost like marble in the fading light. "You still have the support of the elves, and as such, everything my bow can give you is yours."

"Aye," gruffly the dwarf adds now. "We go together or not at all."

Frodo says no more against their coming, but shoots a grateful look at the others, though it ends in a sigh of resignation as he thinks of the journey ahead of them; so much more space for the Ring to continue its corruption. He nods and tightens his own pack on his shoulders. "Here we go," he says.

And so, the five continue on through the grey hills of the Emyn Muil and down into the Land of Shadow.

***

Pippin sees naught but darkness around him; he feels as though he is lost in a cold cavernous place and is looking everywhere for Frodo but cannot find him. And then he hears shouts and the clanging of swords crashing against each other, and the Hobbit begins to feel terribly, horribly afraid.

The shouts grow ever louder, echoing from the dark walls of wherever he is, and then exploding out of the darkness before Pippin comes Boromir, swinging his sword and calling "RUN! Run, little ones!" The man charges and lets out a strange aborted squeaking breath as a black-fletched arrow sprouts from his abdomen. He is fighting nothing but darkness, slashing at air.

"No!" Pippin screams, but now there are two arrows - then three - one in his pelvis and another in his heart, and the son of Denethor is paling, stumbling forward with one empty hand lifted, his mouth opening and closing, agape like a landed fish or baby bird's. 

Pippin feels an unbearable sorrow tear at his heart as Boromir falls, white face and chest blotted by gouts of blood; and the human whispers: "Flee, Pippin and Merry -go now, into the night. Hurry!"

... Pippin feels himself being shaken and something is telling him to get up now, come on. The Hobbit flinches and raises his head, opening his eyes to discover that he had been dreaming; asleep whilst being bounced around on an orc's back. Trussed and tethered, brilliant.

Pippin turns his head to spot Merry on another back, unconscious with blood drying and congealing in his curly hair. Merry's mouth is slightly open, gaping, slack as is his entire body, and a jolt of terror shoots through Pippin and makes him feel sick at the sight. "Merry," he whispers loudly. " _Merry!_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Readers may notice before the asterisks *** a (slightly tweaked) quote from the final page, chapter, and sentence of JRR Tolkien's immortal first novel in this trilogy, _The Fellowship of the Ring_. Some of Frodo and Sam's words are from that last chapter as well, and I thank Tolkien profusely for his writing of such great words.


End file.
